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Monday, April 11, 2011

I is for...

Interestingly enough, I anxiously awaited the boarding. Excitement and anxiety made my stomach churn. Churn badly, I might add. I wondered if I would get sea sick as I did years ago when I was last on a boat of this size. Quickly though, I dismissed those thoughts and focused on what lie ahead.

There were about thirty five people on board along with the eight “pirates.” Hoisting the anchor up from the blue water and setting sail, we headed into the wind. While the pirates wandered among us wearing their patches and colorful garb, laughing and talking with the other passengers made the time pass quickly and dismiss the thoughts of being sick.

I had met a couple from Sweden. They were in their fifties and although she was originally from Finland, they had lived in Sweden for “many, many years.” Finding myself mesmerized by the stories they told me about their native country, I wanted to hear more. The snow, he told me, had just begun to melt right before they left for their vacation in Aruba.

Before long, the ship had made it’s way to their “secret cove” and the next thing we knew, the pirates were performing a reenactment of a traitor walking the gangplank! After that, we needed to prepare for individual adventures. Some braver souls who were familiar with scuba diving had made that their choice. While others, such as myself ,opted to snorkel. Then there were others who simply chose to “jump ship” and swim. Of course, all of our activities were under the watchful eye of the prates and their mates.

Once all of us were safely back on board, the anchor was once again hoisted and we headed toward shore. The food and drink served was devoured quickly by all of us as we exchanged facts about what we encountered. Those that chose to scuba told me of a sunken ship and how they were only allowed to explore certain areas and were scolded when they ventured off! My snorkeling adventure resulted in seeing the vivid Parrot fish with their vibrant burgundy and blue, the long and slender Barracudas, which to me are down right scary even at a distance, the numerous Sea Urchins nestled among the reef's coral and the occasional Puffer fish along with the colorful standard tropicals zipping past my mask yet always within arm's reach. To me, it was like swimming in a fish tank and I loved it!

In no time at all, we were gathered up by the pirates and put into the smaller boats waiting to take us back to shore. The adventure here in Aruba would only last a few more days. Then another beautiful memory in my book of life was coming to a close.

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BE GRATEFUL...

Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, it is the parent of all others.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.~ Melody Beattie

REMEMBER...

"You own everything that happened to you. So, go ahead, tell your stories. If people wanted you to think warmly about them, they should have behaved better."....Anne Lamott